WI: Saudi Arabia Spent Like Imperial Iran

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Iran spent heavily on modernization, industrialization, and education programs from the 1960s until the 1979 Revolution. It was able to achieve a lot relatively quickly, putting in place infrastructure, industry, and a scientific base that continues to benefit the country today. However, some argue that this rapid modernization helped kick off the Revolution, as it threatened traditional authorities but failed to move quickly enough to result in jobs for the increasing number of trained and educated Iranians who would have formed a content or pro-Shah middle class. Imperial Iran also spent a massive amount of money on military equipment and training (there's a list here).

Saudi Arabia could have pursued a program at least as ambitious as the one planned by the Shah, and have had money left over too. Saudi Arabia had twice as much petroleum production as Imperial Iran (around ten million barrels per day) and a population of around 6.5 million. With petroleum selling for around $22.50 (inflation adjusted, from here) per barrel throughout the 1960s and 1970s prior to the 1973 Energy Crisis, the Saudis would have been bringing in the equivalent of $225 million per day, or $82.13 billion per year.

So, what might have happened if Saudi Arabia had spent at least proportionately as much on modernization and its military as Imperial Iran had? Could it have developed a relatively diversified economy like Iran? Would stability have been an issue? Could it have acquired advanced military and nuclear technology on par with that acquired by Imperial Iran?
 
Clergy would be even bigger problem for Saudi kings than for shah. And in Saudi court too is much conservative. Leastly firstly should solve these problems. And when they give people more education they might get some crazy ideas than democracy.
 

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Clergy would be even bigger problem for Saudi kings than for shah. And in Saudi court too is much conservative. Leastly firstly should solve these problems. And when they give people more education they might get some crazy ideas than democracy.

On the other hand, a leader could bulk up the military and hire a lot of foreign advisers and personnel to create a more independent base of power.
 

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Any more inputs on this? Could Saudi Arabia use its money as a tool of policy and modernization like Imperial Iran?
 
Any more inputs on this? Could Saudi Arabia use its money as a tool of policy and modernization like Imperial Iran?

Don't think so. Lalli's right, the whole political culture is way too conservative, and the monarchy needs the clergy to have any legitimacy with the people. It's not a healthy system.
 
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